George Russell reveals his first message to Toto Wolff, and how long it took him to reply

George Russell has revealed his first message to Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, one which put him on the path to his F1 career.

How do you go about capturing the interest of an F1 team principal? Keep pestering them with email after email hoping one day they’ll take notice?

Or instead play it cool. Let them come to you, like a pet owner trying to charm an aloof cat. Well for George Russell he didn’t employ any of these methods. Instead, he let his results on track do the talking during his junior career, and sent a polite message to Toto Wolff.

In an essay penned for the Players’ Tribune, Russell delved into his origin story from his childhood to how he got his start with Mercedes, the team he joined as a junior driver in 2017.

Amongst these recollections, was his first message to Wolff and how long it took him to capture the interest of the team boss at the helm of a newly championship winning team.

Russell wrote: “I actually remember it very well. It was the Tuesday after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2014. I wrote something like:

“Dear Toto,

“My name’s George Russell. I race in Formula 4. I’ve just won the championship this season. I’m progressing into Formula 3 next year, and I’d love to sit down with you to have your advice for my future career.

“I didn’t want to send a big CV like, This is me, sign me, sign me, sign me. I don’t know why. I just said, “I just want to have your advice.” I thought that was the best way to get face time with him.”

Russell’s Mercedes beginnings

Surely a man as busy as Toto Wolff would take a long time to reply. No? Russell then revealed how long it took the Mercedes boss to respond and wrote: “He replied within 15 minutes.

“I’d had some good conversations with McLaren, had prior contacts with Red Bull, but honestly, Toto was just … different. He seemed so genuine.

“We met at the Mercedes headquarters near Silverstone, in January 2015. Toto always tells a story about me walking in in a suit and tie, carrying a briefcase … I don’t think it was quite as extreme as that. Might as well get that on the record.

“But I definitely had my nicest pair of shoes on. I always used to dress like an old man when I was younger, so I would’ve had a shirt on, and probably a V-neck jumper or something. I looked quite smart as a 16-year-old at the time.”

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